Parking FAQ

Q: I made an account on the parking website, but I can’t see any permits. What’s going on?

A: After creating your account, it must first be validated. It takes 1-2 business days for facilities management to validate your account. After it is validated and you have received a confirmation email, you will be able to see the permits available to you.

Q: I have a hang tag, but I got a ticket. Why is that?

A: The Saint Mary’s parking system has transitioned to a paperless model, using an online parking portal called Ops-com. All hang tags and tangible permits from previous years are no longer valid. To obtain a permit you must register an account on our online parking portal. For more information on how to buy a permit, please see the Purchase a Permit page.

Q: Why doesn’t a permit guarantee me a spot? That’s not fair.

A: General permits are sold based on the best utilization of parking spaces available on campus. This assumes that not everyone with a permit will be on-site at the same time every day. Parking is sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Most spots fill in the morning, with minimal turnover until later that day. We realize it is frustrating not being able to find a spot, but we state in our policy that purchasing a permit does not guarantee a spot.

Q: Why isn’t there a parking space for everyone that has a permit?

A: Parking in the city is difficult to find as is. It is important to consider that thousands of students attend Saint Mary’s, and the school spans merely one large block in the city. There are far more people that come to campus every day than there are spots available. For this reason, parking spots are first-come, first-served.

Q: I only attend classes/come to campus a couple of times a week. What would my parking options be?

A: Daily, weekly and monthly parking options are no longer available to students. The most convenient spots to park would be street parking surrounding the university, metered parking, or pay & display parking in the Arena lot. Metered parking is free after 5:00 pm Monday-Friday and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Please refer to our Temporary Parking page for more information.

Q: How do I put my name on a waiting list for a permit?

A: Please create an account on our parking portal Ops-com, enter all your vehicle information and wait for a verification email. Once your account is verified, you will be able to put yourself on a waitlist in the “permits” tab on Ops-com.

Q: I purchased a permit; now where do I pick it up?

A: We have transitioned to an online system that no longer requires the display of hang tags for parking. Your permit will register to your license plate number on your profile, so no need to pick anything up or display anything in the car.

Q: Do I need a parking permit to park on campus in the evening or on the weekend?

A: Parking permits are not required in the general parking lots after 5:00 pm Monday-Friday or on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Q: Can I use my general permit to park at a meter, or in a pay & display spot?

A: No. General permits are not valid at meters or pay & display parking spots.

Q: I got a ticket, but I have a permit. What happened?

A: There could be a few reasons why you received a ticket.

1. Check to make sure that your license plate number is registered correctly onto your Ops-com profile. It could be off by one letter or one number, and therefore does not register to your permit.
2. Check that you are parked in the right spot. Only faculty permit holders can park in faculty designated spaces and pay & display users in their designated spaces. If you are a general permit holder, make sure you are in a general spot that is not designated for other users. Please refer to our parking map.
3. Check on your Ops-com profile that your payment has been processed and that your permit is showing on your homepage. If you do not complete your payment, your permit will be held for 2 days, then released back into the system.

Q: I got a parking ticket, but I’m not registered on the parking website. How do I pay for it?

A: Parking violations can be paid online anonymously via Guest Payment. Please visit the link below and follow these steps to make a secure online payment.

http://smu.ops-com.com

1. Navigate to the login window and select “Lookup your ticket”.
2. From there, enter the ticket number, and search.
3. Click on “anonymous payment” to display the payment window.
4. Select your payment option and your email address for the receipt.
5. Click “submit payment”.
6. Enter your payment information and click “pay now”.

Users who choose not to use the online payment option can pay their ticket in-person in the Facilities Management office - McNally South basement, room MS011.